“The floor managers are getting them under control, I think,” said the young man, who, like Faith, was as cool and composed as possible.  “There they go—­the very last of them—­and the floor is deserted.  Ten to one there’s no fire at all.  I’ll go up and investigate.”

He sprang off the counter and bounded up the stairs.  Faith could not help noticing that he was really a very manly fellow.  She began to think that she had been mistaken regarding his insulting actions.

“There is no fire, I tell you!” called Mr. Gibson again.  “It was only a puff of smoke on the second floor!  Will people never learn to keep their heads at such times, I wonder!”

The most of the clerks were still behind the counters, and as the manager made this remark one of the oldest men in the store raised his head and answered him.

“Our customers probably know our facilities for fighting a fire,” he said sneeringly.  “The place is a regular death-trap.  No wonder they ran from it!”

“Keep your news to yourself, Block, if you please!” said Mr. Gibson quickly.

Some one called him at that instant or his reprimand would probably have been sharper.

Faith had heard both remarks, and so had the old lady, who was still standing beside Miss Jennings behind the ribbon counter.

“Is that true?  Is the store such a fire-trap?” asked the old lady quickly.  “Dear, dear, what a place to cage a lot of human beings!”

“The fire department has ordered the boss to put in more apparatus a dozen times that I know of,” answered Miss Jennings, promptly, “but the building is insured and so is the stock.  What do they care about us!  We must take our chances!”

“Well, I guess the danger is over now, so I’ll go,” said the lady.  “Thank you, my dear, for your kindness.  I wish I could do something to help you.”

“You have helped me with your sympathy,” said Miss Jennings, quickly.

“You shall see me again,” was the old lady’s reply.  “As a Christian woman, I must look into this matter.”

She went away after shaking hands with Miss Jennings and smiling up at Faith in a friendly manner.

The clerks who had rushed down from the second floor at the alarm of fire were coming back slowly with a shamed look on their faces.

They trooped back up the stairs to their different departments just as a big sign was posted before the main entrance, stating that there was no fire in the building.

It was an exciting half hour, but through it all Faith stood erect, ready and calmly waiting for anything that might happen.  In the very midst of the commotion her quick eyes detected a fresh horror.  She saw a clerk at a neighboring counter grab a handsome piece of jewelry and secrete it in her pocket with the rapidity of lightning.

When order was at last restored Faith was in a most distressed frame of mind.  She was dreading through sheer pity what she knew to be her duty.